Journal Article

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio dynamics: prognostic value and potential for surveilling glioblastoma recurrence

Huang, Yin-Cheng, Chen, Ko-Ting, Tzeng, Ching-Chieh, Wei, Kuo-Chen, Hsu, Peng-Wei, Chung, Meng-Wu, Chuang, Chi-Cheng, Lee, Cheng-Chi, Lin, Ya-Jui

2025

Overview

Purpose Glioblastoma (GBM) is a challenging malignancy with a poor prognosis. While the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is reported to correlate with the prognosis, the significance of changes in the NLR and its prognostic value in GBM remain unclear. This study aims to evaluate changes in the NLR and its predictive value for GBM prognosis and recurrence. Methods The cohort included 69 newly-diagnosed GBM patients undergoing a standard treatment protocol. NLR was assessed at multiple time points. The dynamic change in NLR (dNLR), defined as the NLR at the point of interest (post-CCRT or post-Stupp) divided by the preoperative NLR, also was assessed. Univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between the NLR, dNLR and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results Univariate analysis revealed that age at diagnosis ≥ 70 ( p  = 0.019) and post-Stupp dNLR ≥ 1.3 ( p  = 0.006) were significantly associated with shorter OS. Significant correlations were found between pre-operative KPS ≥ 60 ( p  = 0.017), gross total resection ( p  = 0.042), post-Stupp dNLR ≥ 1.3 ( p  = 0.043) and PFS. Multivariate analysis showed age at diagnosis ≥ 70, pre-operative KPS ≥ 60, post-Stupp NLR ≥ 5 and dNLR ≥ 1.3 were significantly associated with a shorter OS. Significant correlation was found between pre-operative KPS ≥ 60 and PFS. Conclusion This study revealed that post-Stupp NLR ≥ 5 and dNLR ≥ 1.3 correlated significantly with a worse glioblastoma prognosis in OS, and dNLR might be more reliable. These two parameters are potentially surveilling markers for glioblastoma recurrence, however further studies are warranted.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adult / Age / Aged / Aged, 80 and over / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Biomedicine / Brain cancer / Brain Neoplasms - blood / Brain Neoplasms - mortality / Brain Neoplasms - pathology / Brain Neoplasms - therapy / Cancer / Cancer Research / Care and treatment / Clinical trials / Development and progression / Diagnosis / Dynamic NLR / Female / Glioblastoma / Glioblastoma - blood / Glioblastoma - mortality / Glioblastoma - pathology / Glioblastoma - therapy / Glioblastoma multiforme / Glioma / Health aspects / Health Promotion and Disease Prevention / Humans / Immune system / Leukocytes / Leukocytes (neutrophilic) / Lymphocyte Count / Lymphocytes / Lymphocytes - pathology / Magnetic resonance imaging / Male / Malignancy / Measurement / Medicine/Public Health / Middle Aged / Multivariate analysis / Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - blood / Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology / Neutrophils / Neutrophils - pathology / Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio / Oncology / Patient outcomes / Patients / Prognosis / Recurrence / Relapse / Retrospective Studies / Statistical significance / Steroids / Surgery / Surgical Oncology / Surveillance / Variables